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August 14, 2009

Site picks top five non-Egyptian pyramids

by Sam Savage

A California-based travel Web site picked structures in Mexico, Italy, France, Germany and the United States as the Top Five Pyramids Not in Egypt.

VirtualTourist.com chose the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan, Mexico, which was named by the Aztecs centuries after it was abandoned by the Teotihuacanos, as the No. 1 non-Egypt-based pyramid for its popularity among tourists looking for a climbing challenge.

The Pyramid of Cestius in Rome, Italy, was chosen as No. 2 on the list in part due to the story of its creation.

This less than notable guy way back wanted to be remembered so he left money for a pyramid to be built as his tomb, VirtualTourist member crac said of the monument's history. It is still there and he is still remembered. So as a ploy it worked. There is even a metro station across the road called Piramide. If it had been called Cestius his ploy would have really worked.

Rounding out the list were the Louvre Museum Pyramid in Paris, which greets visitors to the world famous art museum; the Karl Wilhelm Pyramid of Karlsruhe, Germany, which was erected to honor the town's founder; and The Transamerica Pyramid, San Francisco's tallest skyscraper.